Packaging method and apparatus



Oct. 15, 1968 w. s. BACHMAN PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1, 1965 QR ml Jomwmoo mw 240 FEET LE? S R .EEn H 3 A Aw Q A a 1 I 7 M g. 8 v M a p @v @N N M R wm wm V ww QM v w m N v & x8 W, m R T NN JOEPZOO III 240 b\u\ u 3 S INVENTOR. WILLIAM S. BACHMAN his ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1968 w. s. BACHMAN 3,405,498

PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM S. BAOHMAN his ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1968 w. s. BACHMAN 3,405,493

PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 6 6'3- 52 his ATTORNEYS Oct Filed Dec. 1, 1965 VACUUM ARMS m7 MOTOR w. s. BACHMAN PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS I-n I229 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 0 PICKUP VACUUM U 122:: 1/1 v I UNLOAD VACUUM a I: I5.

INVENTOR.

his ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,405,498 PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS William S. Bachman, Southport, C0nn., assignor to Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 510,756 21 Claims. (Cl. 53-29) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A packaging system for inserting an object into a container by releasably holding the object in a release position, feeding the container to a loading position beneath the release position, dropping the object into the container, and transferring the container containing the object from the loading position to an output station.

This invention relates to a packaging method and apparatus and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for inserting finished phonograph records or the like into jackets.

Phonograph records are generally produced by compressing a thermoplastic material between the two molds of a molding press or die, steam and water being introduced into each mold as required in the molding cycle. After the thermoplastic material has been compressed between the two molds, the record thus formed is extracted from the press and the flash or scrap molding material is trimmed off the periphery of the record. Machines for accomplishing the foregoing steps are generally operated manually. A novel method and apparatus for automatically producing phonograph records is disclosed in application Ser. No. 391,603, filed Aug. 24, 1964, entitled Molding Method and Apparatus, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application. Regardless of the manner in which the phonograph records are produced, each finished phonograph record must be inserted into the appropriate jacket or cover. This jacketing operation is costly and time consuming when accomplished manually and unduly increases the expense and limits the production of jacketed phonograph records, irrespective of the method by which the finished records are produced.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned difiiculties of conventional systems for packaging finished phonograph records.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for automatically inserting phonograph records into jackets.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for holding a stack of empty jackets of non-uniform thickness, whereby the top jacket is presented in the same plane regardless of the number of jackets in the stack.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a reliable and relatively simple method and apparatus for inserting an object into a container.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are attained by providing a pair of rotatable vacuum arms which are coupled together to permit rotation in a common direction. When the two vacuum arms are driven in one direction, one of the arms is rotated to grasp the top jacket of a stack of empty jackets. The arms are then rotated in the opposite direction so that the first arm swings the top empty jacket to a loading position in which the two vacuum arms are disposed on 3,405,498 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 opposite sides of the empty jacket, the second arm also grasping the jacket. The arms are then driven in opposite directions so as to open the jacket, and then a trimmed phonograph record is dropped therein. The first vacuum arm then releases the jacket, and the second vacuum arm swings the jacketed record to a release position from which it is dropped onto a stack of jacketed records. The sequence of steps may be accomplished automatically, the sequence being initiated by a signal which signifies that the flash trimming operation has been completed, for example.

All of the above is more fully explained in the detailed description of the preferred form of the invention which follows, this description being illustrated by the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a typical phonograph record jacketing apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified elevational view showing the position of the vacuum arms when one of arms is in engagement with the stack of empty jackets;

FIGS. 310 are similar simplified elevational views of the vacuum arms, the arms being shown in various stages of the cycle of operation; and

FIG. 11 is a simplified schematic diagram of exemplary electrical circuitry for controlling the operation of the jacketing apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1-10.

In the representative embodiment of the invention shown by Way of example in the drawings, a phonograph record jacketing apparatus includes a main frame 21 on which is mounted a constant level feed hopper 22. The feed hopper includes a pair of longitudinal members 23 and 24 which are pivotally mounted at one end to the main frame 21 so as to rotate about an offset axis 25. The opposite ends of the members 23 and 24 carry a loading plate 26 which is adapted to receive a stack of empty jackets 27. The stack of jackets is retained on the loading plate by a guideway 28 having a floor 29' and a pair of upstanding end walls 30 and 31. The guideway floor 29 preferably takes the shape of a portion of a cylindrical surface formed about the axis 25.

The members 23 and 24 are suspended from the main frame 21 by a pair of springs 32 and 33, the modulus of these springs being such that if an empty jacket is added to or removed from the stack 27, the loading plate 26 is displaced by a distance of one jacket thickness. In this way, the top jacket always assumes the same position regardless of the number of jackets in the stack. Inasmuch as a typical phonograph record jacket is about /a thinner at the slit or open end than at the opposite edge, the empty jackets are placed in the hopper 22 with the open end against the floor 29, and the floor is located at such a distance from the axis 25 that each jacket lies in a plane containing the axis 25. Thus, the top jacket of the stack always lies in the same plane regardless of the number of jackets in the stack.

A pair of horizontal, mutually parallel shafts 34 and 35 are rotatably mounted on the main frame 21 by pairs of suitable bearings 36, 36 and 37, 37 respectively. Mounted on the corresponding ends of the shafts 34 and 35 are a pair of sprockets 38 and 39 respectively, the shafts being coupled together to permit simultaneous r0- tation in the same direction by a linkage 40 including two chains 41 and 42 which engage the two sprockets 38 and 39, respectively. The chains are coupled together by a spring 43 and a solenoid drive 44 to form a continuous loop, the spring and the solenoid being on opposite sides of the loop. Thus, activation of the solenoid drive 3 stretches the spring 43 and rotates the shafts 34 and 35 in opposite directions.

Mounted on the two shafts 34 and 35 are a pair of vacuum arms 46 and 47, respectively, which are suitably disposed along the shafts to insure adequate clearance between the arms during rotation thereof. The vacuum arms 46 and 47 include inner sections 48 and 49 which are substantially mutually parallel but extend perpendicularly of the shafts in opposite directions, central portions 50 and 51 which are similarly mutually parallel but extend parallel with the shafts in opposite directions, and outer portions 52 and 53 which are mutually parallel and extend perpendicularly of the central portions in the same direction.

The free end of the pickup vacuum arm 46 is provided with a pair of vacuum heads or cups 54, each vacuum head including an aperture 55 about which is mounted a gasket 56 formed of a suitable material such as rubber. The apertures 55 communicate through a passageway 57 in the vacuum arm and a flexible conduit 58 with a conventional vaccum system (not shown). This insures that the top jacket in the stack 27 is positively grasped by the vacuum heads 54 when the vacuum system is activated and the vacuum heads are brought into engagement with the stack. Similarly, a pair of vacuum heads 59 on the free end of the unload vacuum arm 47 are connected through a passageway (not shown) in the vacuum arm and a suitable conduit 60 to another vacuum system (not shown).

The shaft 34 is coupled by a pair of sprockets and 66 and a chain 67 to a drive motor 68 by means of which the vacuum arms 46 and 47 may be rotated simultaneously in the same direction. A plurality of cams secured to the shaft 69 of the motor and located within the cam control box 70 are adapted to cooperate with a plurality of limit switches in this box at various predetermined positions of the vacuum arms, as will be explained more fully below.

Mounted on the main frame 21 is an output platform which is adapted to receive the jacketed phonograph records released by the vacuum arm 47 when it is in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 10. A sensing switch 76 disposed above the output platform 75 is actuated by a jacketed phonograph record as it falls to the output platform.

An unloader arm 80 is adapted to be rotated by a motor 81 through a feed screw 82, gear 83, and vertical shaft 84. A plurality of cams mounted on the shaft 84 and located within the cam control box 85 are adapted to engage a plurality of switches in this box in accordance with the rotational position of the unloader arm 80. Rotatably mounted below the free end of the unloader arm is a vacuum head 88 which includes a suitable gasket 89 and a plurality of apertures (not shown) which communicate through an internal passageway (not shown) in the unloader arm and a conduit 91 with a conventional vacuum system (not shown).

The unloader arm 80 is shown in FIG. 1 in the position at which a phonograph record 92 carried by the vacuum head 88 may be trimmed by a suitable trim motor 93 which drives a drive wheel 94. The drive wheel cooperates with a cutting wheel 95 to rotate the phonograph record and strip the flash therefrom. A flash detector switch 96 indicates the completion of the trimming operation. The unloader arm preferably may be rotated to a position between the separated molds of a press (not shown), whereby a phonograph record formed in the press may be extracted therefrom and swung to the trim position, the unloader arm vacuum system being activated when the molds of the press separate, for example. Ref erence may be had to the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 391,603 for a preferred arrangement of the unloader arm and trimmer.

A horizontal offset bar 98 mounted on the main frame 21 is located so as to cause a 90 rotation of a phonograph record released by the vacuum head 88 when the unloader arm 80 is in the release position shown in FIGS. 2-10, thus enabling the record to drop into a jacket held by the vacuum arms 46 and 47 in the loading position shown in FIG; 7. A sensing switch 99 is activated by a record dropped from the release position.

The operation of the record jacketing apparatus will now be described in conjunction with the electrical control circuitry illustrated in FIG. 11. The circuit components are connected between a power conductor 100, which may be connected to a suitable source 101 of electric power by a switch 102, and a ground return conductor 103.

After the trimming operation is completed, the flash detector switches 96a and 96b are closed, thereby energizing a pair of relay solenoids 104 and 105, respectively. The relay 104 remains energized through the holding contact 104a, regardless of the condition of the switch 96a, until the normally closed jacketed record sensing switch 76 is opened. Similarly, the relay 105 remains energized through the holding contact 105a, regardless of the condition of the switch 96b, until a normally closed switch 106 in the control box 70 is opened, which opening occurs after the vacuum arms have begun their counterclockwise motion.

The normally open contact 104b of the relay 104 is closed, energizing the armature and field windings 107 and 108 of the vacuum arms motor 68. The vacuum arms are then driven in the counterclockwise direction until a normally closed counterclockwise limit switch 109a in the control box 70 is opened, which occurs when the vacuum heads 54 engage the exposed empty jacket of the stack 27 (see FIG. 2). The normally open counterclockwise limit switch 1091) is also closed to energize the reversing relay solenoid 113, which remains energized through the holding contact 113a. The normally closed contacts 113b and 113c are opened and the normally open contacts 113d and 113e are closed to reverse the connection of the field winding 108 in the circuit, so that when the vacuum arms motor 68 is again energized, the vacuum arms will be rotated in the clockwise direction.

At the same time, the normally open counterclockwise limit switch 1090 is closed, energizing a relay solenoid 110, which remains energized through the holding contact 110a. This energizes the pickup vacuum coil 111, whereby the pickup arm vacuum system is activated by suitable means known to the art. When the desired degree of vacuum is attained, indicating that the pick-up arm has grasped the exposed empty jacket, a normally open pickup vacuum sensing switch 112 is closed, bypassing the counterclockwise limit switch 109a and thereby energizing the vacuum arms motor 68.

The vacuum arms rotate in the clockwise direction through the positions illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 until the loading position shown in FIG. 5 is reached, where the normally closed loading position switch 114a in the control box 70 is opened, de-energizing the motor 68. The switch 114a is of the one-way type, so that it is not actuated during the counterclockwise movement of the vacuum arms. At the same time, the normally open loading position one-way switch 114]) is closed to energize the solenoid drive coil 44a. The solenoid drive draws the chains 41 and 42 against the force of the spring 43, rotating the shaft 34 in the counterclockwise direction and the shaft 35 in the clockwise direction. This brings the vacuum heads 54 and 59 against the jacket as illustrated in FIG. 6.

The normally open loading position switch 114c is also closed energizing the relay solenoid 115 and the unload vacuum coil 116, which remain energized through the holding contact 115a, whereby the unload vacuum system is energized by conventional means known to the art. When this vacuum system attains the desired degree of vacuum, indicating that the unload arm 47 has grasped the jacket, a normally closed unload vacuum sensing switch. 117:: is opened to de-energize the solenoid drive 44, so that the spring 43 rotates the arms 46 and 47 to open the jacket as illustrated in FIG. 7.

The normally closed switch 11711 is also opened, deenergizing the unloader arm vacuum coil 118, whereupon the phonograph record 92 is released. The falling record strikes the horizontal offset bar 98, rotates 90 and falls into the open jacket. The falling record actuates the sensing switch 99, which causes a normally open switch 120a to be closed after a short delay which may be caused by suitable electrical or mechanical means known to the art. This energizes the relay solenoid 121, which remains energized through a holding contact 121a, thereby bypassing the loading position switch 114a and energizing the motor 68, which then continues driving the vacuum arms in the clockwise direction. The sensing switch 99 also causes the normally closed switch 12% to be opened after suitable delay, de-energizing the pickup vacuum coil 111, so that the jacketed phonograph record is only held by the unload arm 47 as the arms continue in the clockwise direction (see FIG. 8).

Clockwise motion is continued (see FIG. 9) until the vacuum arms reach the positions shown in FIG. 10, at which time the normally closed clockwise limit switches 122a, 122b and 1220 in the control box 70 are opened. The de-energization of the motor 68 stops the rotation of the vacuum arms, and de-energization of the reversing relay solenoid 113 connects the field winding 108 in the circuit such that when the motor is again energized, the vacuum arms will be rotated in the counterclockwise direction. The unload vacuum coil 116 is also de-energized to drop the jacketed record onto the output platform 75. The falling record opens the normally closed sensing switch 76, de-energizing the relay solenoid 104 and opening the contact 10412.

The vacuum arms remain in the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and until the next phonograph record is trimmed and the above-described sequence of events is repeated. It should be noted that when the flash sensing switch 96b is closed, energizing relay solenoid 105, the contact 105b is closed to shunt the clockwise limit switch 122a and thus enable the vacuum arms to be driven in the counterclockwise direction.

It is apparent that another sensing switch could be located adjacent the switch 76 in order to advance a suitable counter each time a jacketed record is released from the unload arm 47, and an appropriate conveyor belt could be substituted for the output platform 75, whereby the conveyor belt would be driven after the desired number of jacketed records are stacked on the belt to transport the stack of jacketed records to a conventional boxing machine which would automatically seal and label boxes of jacketed records.

For simplicity, manual override switches and failsafe switches have been omitted from the circuit diagram. Such switches could readily be included by those skilled in the art in order to permit manual operation of the individual steps and to prevent a phonograph record from being dropped unless a jacket in the loading position is open to facilitate the entrance of the record therein, for example. Similarly, the circuitry for energizing the un loader arm drive system and vacuum coil 118 has been omitted. Reference may be had to the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 391,603 for such circuitry.

While the fundamental features of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that various substitutions, changes and modifications in the form and details of the apparatus illustrated and its method of operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the apparatus may be readily modified to permit the automatic packaging of books and other objects in cardboard cartons and the like. All such variations and modifications, therefore, are included within the intended scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In packaging apparatus for inserting an object into a container and delivering the container containing the object to an output station including apparatus for releasably holding the object, the combination of pickup means for feeding the container to a loading position beneath the holding apparatus,

means for activating the holding means to drop the object into the container, and

unload means responsive to the falling object for transferring the container containing the object from the loading position to the output station, the unload means being disengaged from the container while the pickup means feeds the container to the loading position, and the pickup means being disengaged from the container while the unload means transfers the container to the output station.

2. The combination according to claim 1, including means for coupling the pickup means and the unload means together to permit simultaneous motion of the pickup means and the unload means.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the pickup means includes first vacuum means for releasably grasping the container and the unload means includes second vacuum means for releasably grasping the container.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the pickup means includes a first arm which is mounted for rotation about a first pivot axis and which carries the first vacuum means and the unload means includes a second arm which is mounted for rotation about a second pivot axis and which carries the second vacuum means, and including means for coupling the first and second arms together to permit simultaneous rotation of the first and second arms.

5. Packaging apparatus for inserting an object into a container, comprising means for conveying the object to a first release position, the conveying means including first vacuum means for releasably grasping the object, means responsive to the conveying means for feeding the container to a loading position beneath the release position, the feeding means including second vacuum means for releasably grasping the container,

means for activating the first vacuum means to drop the object into the container,

means responsive to the falling object for transferring the container containing the object from the loading position to a second release position; the transferring means including third vacuum means for releasably grasping the container, and

means responsive to the transferring means for activating the third vacuum means to release the container containing the object.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second and third grasping means are disposed on opposite sides of the container 'when the container is in the loading position, and including means for coupling the feeding means and the transferring means together to permit simultaneous motion thereof, means responsive to the feeding means for activating the third vacuum means to grasp the container, and means for driving the second and third grasping means in opposite directions to open the container and thereby facilitate the entrance of the object therein.

7. Apparatus for inserting a phonograph record into a jacket for use with apparatus for releasably holding the phonograph record, comprising pickup means for feeding the jacket to a loading position beneath the holding means,

means for activating the holding means to drop the phonograph record into the jacket, and

unload means responsive to the falling phonograph record for transferring the jacket containing the phonograph record from the loading position to an output position, the unload means being disengaged from the jacket while the pickup means feeds the jacket to the loading position, and the pickup means being disengaged from the jacket while the unload means transfers the jacket to the output position.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, including means for supplying the jacket to the pickup means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the supplying means includes hopper means pivoted for rotation about an offset axis and adapted to receive a stack of empty jackets and spring means for supporting the hopper means, whereby loading a stack of jackets on the hopper means simultaneously deflects the spring means and rotates the hopper means about the offset axis.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the modulus of the spring means and the distance between the hopper means and the offset axis are such that the weight of the hopper means and the stack of empty jackets balances the spring force of the spring means so that the exposed jacket of the stack of empty jackets is substantially in the same plane containing the axis regardless of the number of jackets in the stack.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7, including means for coupling the pickup means and the unload means together to permit simultaneous motion thereof.

12. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pickup means includes first vacuum means for releasably grasping the jacket and the unload means includes second vacuum means for releasably grasping the jacket.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the pickup means includes a first arm which is mounted for rotation about a first pivot axis and which carries the first vacuum means and the unload means includes a second arm which is mounted for rotation about a second pivot axis and which carries the second vacuum means.

14. Apparatus for inserting a phonograph record into a jacket for use with apparatus for releasably holding the phonograph record, comprising pickup means for feeding the jacket to a loading position beneath the holding means, the pickup means including a first arm which is mounted for rotation about a first pivot axis and which carries first vacuum means for releasably grasping the jacket,

means for activating the holding means to drop the phonograph record into the jacket,

unload means responsive to the falling phonograph record for transferring the jacket containing the phonograph record from the loading position to an output position, the unload means including a second arm which is mounted for rotation about a second pivot axis and which carries second vacuum means for releasably grasping the jacket,

means for coupling the first and second arms together to permit simultaneous rotation thereof, and means for rotating the first and second arms simultaneously in the same direction.

15. Apparatus for inserting a phonograph record into a jacket for use with apparatus for releasably holding the phonograph record, comprising pickup means for feeding the jacket to a loading position beneath the holding means, the pickup means including first vacuum means for releasably grasping the jacket,

means for activating the holding means to drop the phonograph record into the jacket,

unload means responsive to the falling phonograph record for transferring the jacket containing the phonograph record from the loading position .to an output position, the unload means including second vacuum means for releasably grasping the jacket, the first and second grasping means being disposed on opposite sides of the jacket when the jacket is in the loading position,

means responsive to the pickup means for activating the second vacuum means to grasp the jacket, and means responsive to the second vacuum activating means for driving the first and second grasping means in opposite directions to open the jacket and thereby facilitate the entrance of the phonograph record therein.

16. In apparatus for inserting phonograph records into jackets and delivering the jacketed records to an output station, including apparatus for trimming the records produced by a molding apparatus and apparatus for releasably seizing the trimmed records and conveying them from the trimming apparatus to a release position, the combination of pickup means for feeding an empty jacket to a loading position beneath the release position, the pickup means including a first arm mounted for rotation about a first pivot axis and carrying first vacuum means for releasably grasping the jacket,

means for activating the seizing apparatus to drop a record held thereby into the jacket,

unload means responsive to the falling record for transferring the jacket containing the record from the loading position to the output station, the unload means including a second arm mounted for rotation about a second pivot axis and carrying second vacuum means for releasably grasping the jacket, the first and second grasping means being disposed on opposite sides of the jacket when the jacket is in the loading position,

means for coupling the first and second arms together to permit simultaneous rotation thereof,

means responsive to the pickup means for activating the second vacuum means to grasp the jacket, and first drive means responsive to the second vacuum activating means for rotating the first and second arms in opposite directions to open the jacket and thereby facilitate the entrance of the record therein.

17. The combination according to claim 16, including second drive means for rotating simultaneously the first and second arms in the same direction.

18. Apparatus for supplying empty jackets to apparatus for inserting phonograph records into the jackets, comprising hopper means pivoted for rotation about an offset axis and adapted to receive a stack of empty jackets, and

spring means for supporting the hopper means,

'whereby loading a stack of jackets on the hopper means simultaneously deflects the spring means and rotates the hopper means about the offset axis, the modulus of the spring means and the distance between the hopper means and the offset axis being such that the weight of the hopper means and the stack of empty jackets balances the spring force of the spring means so that the exposed jacket of the stack of empty jackets is substantially in the same plane containing the axis regardless of the number of jackets in the stack.

19. A method of inserting an object into a container, comprising the steps of releasably holding the object in a release position,

releasably grasping the container with first vacuum means,

feeding the container to a loading position beneath the release position,

releasably grasping the container with second vacuum means when the container is in the loading position, dropping the object into the container while it is grasped by the first and second vacuum means, releasing the container containing the object by the first vacuum means, and

thereafter transferring by the second vacuum means i the container containing the object from the loading position to an output station.

20. A method of inserting a phonograph record into a jacket, comprising the steps of conveying the phonograph record to a release position,

releasably grasping the jacket with first vacuum means,

9 10 feeding the jacket to a loading position beneath the restep of opening the jacket while it is in the loading posilease position, tion and before the phonograph record is dropped. releasably grasping the jacket with second vacuum means when the jacket is in the loading position, References Cited dropping the phonograph record into the jacket while 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1t 1s grasped by the first and second vacuum means, releasing the jacket containing the phonograph record 2,781,620 2/1957 HoPklns et by the first vacuum means and GWlnn 6t 31. thereafter transferring by the second vacuum means 3,059,390 11/1962 Hamel 53189 the jacket containing the phonograph record from the loading position to an output station. 10 TRAVIS MCGEHEEI Examme 21. The method according to claim 20, including the R L, SPR'UILL, Assistant Examiner. 

